First, for me, I wasn't told by my surgeon about any possible problems that could arise after my cataract surgeries. But..... "Eyelid droop" from the clamp that is used to keep the eye open that surgery is being done on. This clamp loosens the strength of the muscle that completely opens the eyelid. Sometimes the strength of that muscle will come back, sometimes not. Then, eyelid surgery might have to happen. I have this "droopy eyelid" on my left eye. The other problem, deals with both the retina (possible detachment during surgery) and/or Negative Dysphotopsia. Negative Dysphotosia is due to the size of the new IOL that is put into the eye. It causes a vertical blackline or crescent to appear at the side of the eye/eyes by the temple. I read that, with time, this could (note the word "could") go away or the new IOL might have to be replaced. Well, I sure don't want to go thru any more eye surgeries, but. I see my OD tomorrow and will see what he says. Know anything about these two problems?
Are you seeing a black line, or the flashes of white light? I know something about the flashes. Before I had cataract surgery I had posterior vitreous detachment. Very common as you age. It also causes the arc-shaped flashes on the edges of your eyes, especially noticeable at night under streetlights. I still have the flashes after cataract surgery. Are you sure it's not that? Don't know anything about the black line symptoms.
As @Nancy Hart said, the detachment would cause flashes, but unfortunately the flashes could occur at night and you wouldn't notice them. They are more common when you are up and about though. I don't know about the black line, but I suspect they are waiting to see if your brain reprograms to "omit" the black lines. Just like "floaters" and such, images that are constant are sometimes "edited by the brain to eliminate them from you field of vision.
The black vertical line appears like a "blinder" by each eye...…...like a blinder for a horse. Use to get a few white flashes, but not anymore. I do see my OD tomorrow and will find out then what the heck is going on.
I read online that the black "blinders" aka black vertical line at the side of each eye, is caused by the size of the new IOL (lens) I had put into each eye. It's a much better lens than the old style, but is actually a tiny smaller (mm) than the old lenses. Something also to do with the retina in the back of my eye. Apparently, light from the retina is peaking by the new IOL (lens), because this lens is smaller than the other one. I read that the problem could go away on it's own, and that is the treatment that is suggested (nothing) for some weeks, but if this "black" thing continues, something will have to be done.
Unfortunately, my OD was of no help with my "black blinders" problem. He actually talked to me like he really didn't know what my problem was. I'm thinking that, perhaps, he wasn't taught this problem in OD college. He told me that he'd never had a post-cataract patient complain about a problem like this. Well, I sure can't help if some people had it and didn't complain/report it to their OD or surgeon or if there are those that didn't have it at all. I've got it and wanted to know what the problem was, which he couldn't tell me. However, I did find out that my vision in the left eye is 20/20 and in right eye is 20/25. The right eye has certain came around from when I last seen him. So, will now contact my surgeon's office and see when I can get in to see her. What I have is intermittent, so it doesn't happen all the time...….but, does happen. Wife and I spent enough out-of-pocket money for each of my eyes, that I should be able to be told something about a problem I now have after surgery.
Cody, if it's intermittent maybe it will go away eventually. Hope so. Doctors should be taught never to say things like, "I've never had that complaint before," even if it's true. I guess they don't always mean it the way it sounds. Good luck in solving the problem.
Well, we've actually had two doctors, an MD and a DDS say something not exactly "ethical" to us. The problem has to be one of two things: a small tear in my retina or eyelid drooping. I'm just really surprised that I could research this online and the OD didn't know it.
I am surprised you are following up a surgery with an optometrist, who are trained in eye health and refraction (glasses, contacts, etc.) but are not usually trained to do surgery follow-ups. Is this in connection with the surgeon's office who did the surgery? Ophthalmologists are the docs who usually follow up such things, not ODs.
I have posterior vitreous detachment in my right eye....put me in a panic for weeks before I saw my ophthalmologist.
Good luck @Cody Fousnaugh ...hope your issues go away with time. Thankfully my dr said I don't need cataract surgery for awhile...reading your post I'd be very anxious if I had to do it now.
I just read this story. Woman had lasix eye surgery and committed suicide. The story doesn't say what the problem was but suicide is pretty drastic so it must have been bad. Hate stories that don't give more detail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6492233/Fox-meteorologist-mother-two-35-kills-herself.html Unless she went almost blind she must have had other issues in my opinion. Sad in any case.